“The practice is what you can’t stop doing” – Jesse Darling
Rather than an ‘introduction’ to dance or choreography, this postal course works from its exit, expansion, or retreat.
The pandemic wrought a general cancellation of ‘professional’ artistic practice. In turning away from ‘dance’, ‘the studio’ and ‘performance’, what other names have people found for activities that still feel urgent and meaningful: care, activism, friendship, study, rest, divination, trouble…? We are in a time of emergency and crisis; and in overdue reckoning with the violent and unsustainable bedrock of our institutional landscape. We think of those who already left a long time ago. And we wonder: when is it useful to hold onto the terms of ‘art’, ‘dance’ or ‘choreography’? How might we re-enter these institutions; or envision their diversion, repurposing or dissolution?
This course invites five brilliant and in/expert guests. Each holds an ambivalent relationship to dance or performance; and has found unique ways to develop and sustain their practices across unlikely territories. Taking place through postal correspondence (and occasional video-calls), participants will receive six letters provoking in/action and exchange between one another. Rather than trying to make much ‘work’, we will instead toy with our individual and collective preoccupations, impositions and deviations.
This course is suitable for artists and non-artists, and those suspicious of either term; anyone who feels moved to do things in the world in ways that trouble easy categorisation or remuneration.
Guest Artists:
Salome Wagaine, Harry Josephine Giles, Rukeya, My Dads Strip Club and Clare Daly
Letters of Resignation is created and hosted by Chatum Tanning, the collaborative practice of Rohanne Udall and Paul Hughes, who respectively moonlight as the Content and Communications Manager at Siobhan Davies Studios, and as a doctoral researcher with the University of Roehampton and Sadler’s Wells’ Theatre. This project is funded by Siobhan Davies Studios through the Culture Recovery Fund, and through Rohanne and Paul’s respective institutional roles.
Course Structure
Over 18 weeks participants will receive 6 letters, and take part in 3 group video calls. Video sessions will take place from 2pm – 5pm on Saturdays: 13 March, 24 April and 5 June.
This course will require you to share your postal address with a group of participants. If you would like to join the course but this is a barrier to your involvement, please get in touch and we can work out some alternatives that enable your participation.
Booking Process
Due to the limited number of places on this course, booking will be determined through a lottery. If you would like to attend, please register by Sunday 7th February, midnight. We will then select 15 participants at random from those registered. Everyone registered will be updated on their booking on Tuesday 9th February.
Unfortunately, due to the disruptions COVID has had on international postal services and limited budgets, Letters of Resignation is open to a UK audience only.
Ticket Prices
Following the lottery, participants will select their preferred ticket cost.
Course ticket: £25.00
Course ticket, bursary: £15.00
Course ticket, pay-it-forward: £40.00
We’ve introduced pay-it-forward tickets this season to subsidise bursary tickets across the whole of our programme. If you choose to pay-it-forward, you’re generously supporting other participants to attend, thank you!
Bursary tickets are self-nominated (i.e. you do not need to supply an ID, like when booking a concession ticket).